Chapter 11
-Two days have passed since escape-
Eradrin walked slowly along the borders of Mirkwood, looking for the elven path. The elf was weary, hungry, thirsty, and felt like she was half dead, but she kept on walking. Her head had a dull throbbing in it, and she was bruised and battered from the long journey. She turned to the forest of Mirkwood. The trees seemed sick, and Eradrin felt sad. She'd always loved the complex array of Mirkwood's thickly growing trees, tall and proud. But now they seemed to despair, as If some internal sickness had risen in their minds. Eradrin peered through the leaves. The shadowy trees seemed to stretch on and on, but grew less thickly around... The path! Eradrin ran as fast as she could, not bothering to step lightly, onto the safest way through Mirkwood. The stones and dust seemed to welcome Eradrin, and she couldn't wait to walk along it and enter the Wood Elves' Kingdom. The elf stepped through the border and walked confidently along the road.
Soon the trees bent over the path, and it wound around bends and over fallen trees. At one point, Eradrin walked over a dark enchanted river, where if she fell in it, she could lose her memory, she walked across a unstable wooden bridge over the dark water that swayed and shook terribly when she took a step. As soon as she crossed, it broke and fell into the river, and was washed away downstream. "That didn't happen." Eradrin said, and turned around and walked away. Soon it was night, and she lay in the branches of a particularly tall tree, and stared up, trying to find the night sky, mostly the stars. A single tiny bright star shone through two crisscrossed branches. The elf stared up at it, and the star seemed to renew her strength and being her new hope. She soon fell asleep, closing her eyes and letting darkness sweep over her mind.
Slivers of sunlight filtered through the branches above Eradrin. She slowly opened her eyes, rubbed them, and took a great yawn. Then she hopped down off the branch and continued her journey. The forest seemed more happy today, and Eradrin skipped through the forest, enjoying the occasional drops of light on the ground and the fragrance of the leaves.
Suddenly, a crackle shook a few of the trees in front of Eradrin. The elf peered through the leaves. A giant Mirkwood spider crawled out. Oh no, not more danger! Eradrin thought. It hissed at her, then crawled out even more. Another one appeared, followed by another, and another, until a whole crowd stood crouched in front if Eradrin, preparing to strike. Then a gurgling hiss made her spin around. Another group of spiders had snuck up behind her. Eradrin gasped in fear. She turned to her left and right. She was completely surrounded. They spiders hissed to each other. Eradrin tried to make out what they were saying. Very faintly, she heard some evil voices. "We should catch her." "Eat her." "Tie her up in our webs!" Eradrin stopped listening. The lines had advanced forward. The elf stealthily pulled out her array of knives. She bent her knees, and sprung to attack. The first spiders were dead in less than a matter of seconds. Eradrin muttered, "Who's next?" The spiders attacked. They clawed at her with their spider-legs and spat venom at Eradrin. She stabbed one while slicing another across the eyes, whacked a third and brought down her blade through its head, and kicked one with such force it was sent flying across the battle ground. A huge spider, twice the size of some of the oversized arachnids, lumbered forward, hate flashing in its eyes, and red illumination coming off of it. Eradrin leaped for it, stabbing with her blade and slicing off its legs. It fell to the ground, dead. Eradrin stood for a second, staring at it and panting. Suddenly a sharp sting hit her back. She whipped around, staring into the gleaming eyes of a menacing-looking spider. She tried to lash out at it. Her arms did nothing. What?! Eradrin thought, shocked. She tried again, but still, nothing happened. No! She inwardly screeched. She tried to call for help. Her mouth could not move. Her body slowly started to fall to the ground. Spider venom, she thought weakly. Her eyes started to close, when she heard footsteps crashing through the trees. The spiders whispered, "More of the Firstborn!" Eradrin was already on the ground, darkness taking over her mind. But, she thought, they're too late. Then the whole world went black.
Author's note: For those of you who don't know who the Firstborn are, they are elves (explained in the Silmarrillion)